Varanasi Police have intensified their crackdown on touts operating around major shrines, arresting 33 individuals near the Kashi Vishwanath temple over the past three days for allegedly extorting money from devotees seeking darshan.
According to officials, several of those detained belong to families of temple priests, while one of the arrested individuals is a Muslim. 
Complaints of cheating and harassment of pilgrims have risen in recent years, particularly after the expansion of the temple premises and the construction of the Kashi Vishwanath Corridor in 2021, which was aimed at providing enhanced facilities for visitors.
Assistant Commissioner of Police (Dashashwamedh Ghat), Atul Anjan Tripathi, said: &ldquo;We began a drive recently to identify these crooks and free the temple from their clutches. We have arrested 33 of them till date, including seven today. The operation will continue for a few more days.&rdquo;
Dashashwamedh Ghat police station officer-in-charge Upendra Pratap Singh stated that a similar operation was underway at other shrines in the city. 
&ldquo;The Kotwali police have also started a similar crackdown and arrested 10 persons for forcing devotees to pay them to offer obeisance at the Kal Bhairav temple. They have been booked for cheating and breach of peace,&rdquo; he said.
Authorities say the operations will continue in an effort to curb the increasing number of complaints from pilgrims and ensure a safe, harassment-free environment around Varanasi&rsquo;s major places of worship.

Police detain touts near Kashi Vishwanath temple

Police tighten action at Kashi Vishwanath as 33 touts arrested for extorting devotees

Varanasi Police Arrest 33 Touts In Crackdown

Police tighten action at Kashi Vishwanath as 33 touts arrested for extorting devotees

December 10, 2025 | 10:41 IST